Elle (short for Günel) uses her art as a tool for social justice. The self-proclaimed human rights activist is inspired by abstract patterns in everyday life and uses many of these elements in her design work. The Graphic Design alum has already landed an internship with Mirko Ilić Corp., an internationally recognized designer in NYC. “The mentors at NYFA made sure to provide us with practical skills so that we could enter the world of design,” Hasanli says. “In 8.5 months, I learned how to use InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and AfterEffects.” Because these programs are “essential skills to get a job,” Hasanli felt more than equipped to enter the job market and learning them has clearly already paid off. She continues, “Faculty dedicated time and energy to work on our resumes, explained to us how to carry ourselves at a job interview, and gave us tips on how to build a professional network.” Hasanli also came out of the program equipped with a portfolio and website, two tools absolutely necessary for any designer in the field. Guests from the design world to attend portfolio reviews daily so students have opportunities to make valuable connections.
In addition to skills necessary for securing a good job after school, Hasanli learned things such as typography which she had no familiarity with previously, “now I can instantly recognize good typography. “NYFA worked on my existing talent and taught me how to start implementing it in practice.” This is evident in work such as “Virgin” which ties in her passion for social justice with the skills she acquired in her classes at NYFA. She also designed posters for Climate Week NYC and has worked on packaging and art for various other brands.
